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ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS State agencies are required to include information on the organizational relationship between the units responsible for certification and the units operating the E&T components, including units of the statewide workforce development system, if available. For the purposes of the questions below, E&T providers are considered to include units of the statewide workforce development system. FNS is specifically interested in ensuring that the lines of communication are efficient and that, if applicable, noncompliance with mandatory E&T is reported to the certification unit within 10 working days after the noncompliance occurs, per 7 CFR 273.7(c)(4). State agencies must also include information on the relationship between the State agency and other organizations it plans to coordinate with for the provision of services. The following questions are about how the E&T program is structured in your State agency. Indicate which division within the SNAP State agency is responsible for the E&T program. (i.e. establishes E&T policy, contracts for E&T services, monitors providers). For example, explain if the E&T program unit is separate from the SNAP certification unit, and if there are separate E&T units at the county level. Within Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), Economic and Employment Services (EES) eligibility staff serve as the SNAP certification team and the Food Assistance Employment and Training (FAET) team serves as the SNAP E&T unit. The EES Director is responsible for the development and implementation of policies for numerous federally funded programs including TANF, Child Care, LIEAP, SNAP and other USDA food programs. EES Deputy Directors and other administrative staff members assist in the development and implementation of SNAP certification policies and processes. Policy implementation is vetted through an established internal process. EES administrative staff facilitate several regularly scheduled meetings to provide opportunities for collaboration between administration and field staff. Policy Planning meetings allow administrative staff, including representation from the Business Process Management team and the Training Unit, and field staff opportunities to discuss program policy changes required due to federal or state policy changes. The Implementation Planning Team discusses policy changes, initiatives, and system enhancements to determine the most effective and efficient implementation plan through the lens of staff who directly engage clients. The KEES Advisory Group is comprised of KEES end users who discuss potential system enhancements and data fixes. The EES Program Integrity Work Group coordinates efforts to ensure statewide consistency and accountability in program implementation. Once every two months, EES administrative staff meet with field Program Administrators to share information and increase opportunities for intentional shared responsibility with field leadership. While serving different purposes, each team meeting includes elements of program integrity and accountability. The EES Fiscal Services team is responsible for vetting and securing formal agreements for E&T services primarily through a competitive Request for Proposal process. This team is also responsible for monitoring each provider organization’s compliance with the requirements detailed in its agreement. How does the E&T unit coordinate and communicate on an ongoing basis with the units responsible for certification policy? There are several points of coordination between E&T operations and the certification policy team. When FNS issues new federal regulations or guidance (for example, changes to ABAWD definitions, age ranges, or exemptions), the certification policy unit drafts state-level policy updates. The E&T unit provides input on operational feasibility, timelines, and provider capacity before the new policy is finalized in KEESM. The E&T unit leads the drafting of the State Plan, but the certification policy staff contribute sections that affect eligibility, work registrant identification, exemptions, and ABAWD policy. This ensures that eligibility rules and E&T operations align. Kansas participates in bi-weekly calls with FNS E&T program managers and policy staff. They also participate in bi-monthly Policy Planning meetings that cover Implementation issues, 1/29/26, 8:20 AM State Plan KS FY26 - Amendment 1 https://dam-fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/microsite/snapet-ksfy26stateplan//index.html 12/71